When Mattel announced its goal to achieve 100% recycled, recyclable or bio-based plastics materials in both its products and packaging by 2030, it apparently meant it.
The first product - the Rock-a-Stack line of baby toys - is currently being switched to sugarcane-based polyethylene and recycled or sustainably sourced packaging, said the El Segundo, California-based company.
The second product to be switched to bio-based resins was announced at the recent Nuremberg Toy fair. The company’s Mega Bloks, a brand it acquired in 2017, will in future also feature three preschool building sets – Polar Friends, Safari Friends and Woodland Friends – made from plant-based materials.
In line with the company’s Environmental Sustainable Sourcing Principles that were announced in 2011, the building sets have Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified packaging that is fully recyclable.
In fact, Mattel now sources 93% of the paper and wood fibre used in its packaging and products from recycled or FSC content, surpassing its 2018 goal of 90%.
“Creating a more sustainable world is important to our team, our company and our consumers, and our first construction line derived from bio-based plastics is an example of this,” Bisma Ansari, SVP of MEGA.
The new line of Mega Bloks will be rolling out to retailers globally, the company said.
While toys made from bio-based resins have long been available on the market, the major toy makers have been slow to pick up on the trend. However, change is on its way. Lego, for example, introduced its first elements made from sugarcane-based PE in 2018, and other toy companies, including the makers of Playmobil, are currently studying the available options.